


My True Love Gave to Me

by nightimedreamer



Category: Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: Christmas Kisses, Christmas Presents, Christmas themed spells, Fluff, Graphic depictions of ruined suits, M/M, Mistletoe, Snow Devils, ugly christmas jumpers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-13 00:55:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29144796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightimedreamer/pseuds/nightimedreamer
Summary: You were Father Christmas's sleigh, and I was crashing into you. I'd wake up every morning and think, "this will end in baubles."It's Christmas Eve, and everything that could possibly go wrong seems to be happening: first of all, Simon Snow can't find an adequate present for his boyfriend (and it's their bloodyanniversary!)Secondly, Baz Pitch has to deal with an infestation ofsadisticsnow devils in time for his family's Christmas party.A tale of devilish snowmen, magical shenanigans and hideous jumpers, starring two idiots in love (+ a drunk-looking reindeer).
Relationships: Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow
Comments: 5
Kudos: 45
Collections: Let It Snow Zine





	My True Love Gave to Me

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, everyone, Merry Christmas! (Please let's all ignore the fact that it's February 😆)  
> Here's a little fic I wrote for the Let it Snow zine, that was published back in December. I hope it can bring some off-season Christmas cheer to you all. It's mostly silly and fun times.  
> (To be fair, that line in the summary doesn't actually feature in the fic, but it probably would if I'd thought of it at the time. I just think it's funny.)  
> You should also check out the AMAZING [fanart](https://www.instagram.com/p/CK4FRrMlcb_/?igshid=j9rklh25clmx) for this!

**Simon**

Christmas isn't the greatest time of year for individuals with bell-activated wings. 

I learned this the hard way. 

Penny's a brilliant mage, I've never doubted this much, but even her most powerful **_Every time a bell rings…_** is no match for the cacophony of bells plaguing the city today.

They're just _everywhere._ Until some days ago, I was even getting in the mood, but now I kind of understand Baz's annoyance towards the festivities. 

I run down London's damp streets with a giant trench coat draped over my shoulders, occasionally colliding with Normals thanks to a bunch of half-arsed concealment spells. 

I slip to a stop in front of another shop. It's too late, though; the CLOSED sign flips right before my face, and I watch helplessly as the lights inside turn off. My shoulders slump. 

Someone bumps into me, almost slipping on the dirty snow, but I catch her in time. Penny mutters a 'thank you', turning to look at the now-closed shop. 

"Simon, why didn't you sort this out _before_ Christmas Eve?" she asks helplessly. 

"I _did,"_ I grunt, rubbing my face and trying not to lash out at her. I know it's not her fault, but it isn't _mine,_ either.

I started searching for the perfect Christmas gift to give Baz about a month ago. Plenty of time for the delivery company to fuck things up, sort the mess out, and then fuck up again. 

I just didn't expect a third fuck up. 

I stop and consider my options. The Grimms are hosting a fancy Christmas dinner tonight to celebrate the magic coming back to Hampshire. We don't have time to go anywhere else; even if we go straight to Pitch Manor we might still be late. 

"Still no luck, man?" Shep asks, panting as he finally catches up with us. 

"None at all," I sigh, lifting a hand to pull at my hair. 

"Don't!" Penny slaps my hand before I can mess with my curls. I groan, frustrated, remembering how it took Baz over two hours fussing about my hair this morning. 

"I just don't get why this is so important, Simon," she says, crossing her arms. "Look, I'm sure Baz will understand—" 

"I know he will understand," I cut her off, frustration making my voice rise an octave. "But I don't _want_ him to." 

I need to sort this out. This is the only detail left, the last little thing keeping me from my goal: to impress Baz's parents with my composure, good manners and looks. I know what Penny would think if I told her, but it's not like I'm trying to prove anything to them. (Well, maybe just a bit.) 

Mostly, I just hope tonight will make them forget I was the person who sucked the magic from their home some Christmases ago. 

_Everything must be perfect_ _._

**Baz**

Of all the possible things that could go wrong today, I didn't expect to be attacked by a gang of possessed snowmen. 

I mean, it's Christmas. I should have seen that coming. 

The creatures have taken over our driveway. We're watching them from the doorstep; my stepmother shaking her head hopelessly and Agatha Wellbelove looking utterly bored, not even lifting her head from her phone. 

"See, that's what I was talking about. Your uncle tried everything to get rid of them," Daphne sighs. "He exhausted his magic, and they were just… playing with him, I think." 

I grimace. Snow devils have some sort of sardonic satisfaction in making fun of people. (That's probably why Mordelia sympathises with them so much.) And now _I_ have to deal with them. Just great.

I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose, turning to Daphne. "Don't worry, Mum. I'll drive them away before the guests arrive. No one will know about the infestation, and nothing will ruin the reception." 

"I knew I could count on you, Basil." She smiles warmly, squeezing my shoulder. "Oh, and be careful not to exhaust yourself. You know the magic here is still weary," she says, going back inside. 

"Hey, Wellbelove, fancy helping me get rid of these little devils?" I ask, trying to get her attention. 

At that, her head whips up, and she almost drops her phone. "Why me?!" 

"Because you're just standing there," I say, sneering, "and I hate seeing people doing nothing when I have to risk getting my suit dirty." 

Agatha scoffs, then pokes her tongue out at me. "Fuck off, Basil." 

"I would gladly," I say, lifting an eyebrow at her. "Unfortunately, these snow devils won't go away on their own."

With that, I walk down the front steps, brandishing my wand at the devils. 

I start casting a fire spell, but Wellbelove slaps my hand, almost knocking my wand off. 

"Basil, they're an endangered species!" 

I glare at her. "Are you fucking kidding me?" 

Wellbelove shakes her head. "This is really serious. You don't want anyone calling magic activists here, do you?" She crosses her arms, giving me a pointed look.

"Then help me find another way to—" 

I'm cut off by something cold hitting my face—a fucking _snowball._

I don't even have time to clean my face before another one hits me, and then another. 

I let out an animalistic growl, looking murderously at the devils whirling around. There's a weird wheezing sound in the air. They're _laughing_ at me. 

I look down to find my perfect tailored suit completely covered in snow and mud. _Ruined._

_Fuck me._

**Simon**

Penny goes straight to her flat to get dressed, while Shep comes to mine to help me get ready. 

First things first: I pack the scones I'm taking to the Manor (because you never know what kind of weird food rich people are going to come up with. Better safe than sorry.) 

Then, I start rummaging through my wardrobe, looking for my suit. 

"Hey, Shep," I call out. "Did you see my suit?" 

He doesn't answer for a moment, and I keep looking. After a minute, my phone rings. 

It's Penny. 

And my ringtone is the song _Twelve days of Christmas._

The idea hits me like lightning, and I don't know how I didn't think of this before. It's such an obvious spell! 

"Hey, Simon..." Shep calls hesitantly, and I feel the grin slip from my face. "Look." 

I turn to find him holding my suit on a hanger. 

What… is... supposed to be my suit. 

My blood runs cold. 

Daphne ordered this suit for me as a gift on my birthday this year. It's made of a soft material I can't name, bright and navy-blue, and it fits me like it was tailored to hug my arse just so. 

And now there's a hole burned through the jacket. 

"How did this happen?!" I half-shout at myself. Shep just shrugs. 

"The iron was still plugged, so—" 

I feel so utterly stupid. I probably got distracted while ironing the suit, started doing something else, and forgot it for seven hours. (I can practically hear Penny chastising me: _you're lucky the whole building isn't on fire, Simon.)_

"Okay, let's—um…" I look around, fighting the urge to tug at my hair. 

"Maybe we can get Penelope to fix it with magic—" Shep starts saying, but I cut him off.

"There's no time to get dressed. We should be picking Penny up—" my phone rings again, "... right now." 

We look at each other for a moment. 

"Well, I suppose you could just go like this," Shep says, nodding at the combination of jeans and jumper I'm wearing—a gift I got from Agatha just yesterday. "At least it's appropriate for the occasion." 

"No fucking way," I say. This thing is too ugly even for my standards. 

It's red, the collar and cuffs lined with some kind of sparkling green and red tinsel that makes my skin itch. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for the 3D Christmas tree over the front, appropriately decorated with more colourful tinsel and baubles, everything sticking out from my chest. 

_At least there are no flashing lights,_ I think. It was pretty funny yesterday, and today, when I started wearing it around just to take the piss. 

I'm not laughing anymore. 

My phone keeps ringing. _Time’s up._

**Baz**

We wait at the foyer while Wellbelove goes through the plan again. 

"... And then we trap them there. Alright?" 

"Right," I answer, eyes trained on the snow bastards. "Are you sure there's enough magic to cast that spell?" 

Wellbelove shrugs. "I hope so. You should know these things." 

"Anyway. I'll try to get their attention now." 

With that, I run down the front steps, gathering a snowball from the ground. 

_"Hey!"_ I shout, throwing it at them. Suddenly, half a dozen snowmen turn to look at me. "Come get me!" 

And then I run. 

The plan is simple enough: I lure the snow devils to the winter garden at the back of the property, and then Wellbelove will cast a spell to trap them inside the large decorative fountain we have there.

Now I just need to make them follow me. 

I run as fast as I can without slipping. I can hear the whooshing sound the devils make as they follow me. 

I quickly reach the greenhouse. It's the safest place to keep the devils—it will be easy to keep any guests out of here, under the excuse that the garden lacks maintenance. (Which is true.) I run straight for the large dry fountain in the center, jumping into it, then turning around to face the snow devils.

The things advance on me, snowballs ready to attack. I back off until I hit the fountain's border. They're just within my reach, crowding inside the stone basin. 

Suddenly, Wellbelove bursts through the door, already yielding her wand. At her sign, I jump out of the fountain. 

**"** ** _It's a small world!_** **"** she casts. 

In an instant, the air around the fountain shimmers, and on the next it solidifies: now, surrounding the fountain's perimeter, there's a dome of glass. 

It's a giant snow globe. 

The devils throw themselves against the barrier, but thank Crowley it doesn't bulge. I let out an incredulous laugh. 

"Wellbelove, it worked," I say, dazed. 

"Well, you're welcome," Agatha waves me off, examining the glass. 

"Thank you," I say, sincerely. She seems surprised. "I mean it. I couldn't have done this without you." 

"I know," Wellbelove shrugs. "Let's go now. You still need to get cleaned." 

*******

When I'm done cleaning my face, it's almost time for the reception. Simon should be here any minute now, and we need to be ready when the guests arrive. 

Everything is fine, except for the fact that my suit is beyond magickal cleaning. 

"Are you sure Daphne doesn't have a spare suit for you?" Agatha asks, after attempting another **_Clean as a whistle_** **.** Our magic is at the limit, and my poor suit is still covered in mud. 

"Not here," I sigh. "Usually, I don't bring formal clothes while visiting." 

She frowns, surprised. "Can't you borrow one of Malcolm's?" 

"We're not the same size," I say, "...and I doubt we have magic enough to make adjustments." 

"Okay… what, then?" 

"I don't know." I sit down on my bed. This shouldn't be happening. It's a minor detail, but still… everything should be _perfect._

It's the first Christmas Simon and I will spend here—the place where everything changed—since it happened. And I'm tragically underdressed. 

Wellbelove looks around, thinking. "There's another option." 

I turn to her, questioningly, but the words die on my lips. 

Wellbelove is holding a brightly coloured package, topped with a huge red bow. "You refused to open it yesterday," she's saying, "so I brought it. Maybe you could—" 

_"No,"_ I say, vehemently, "Wellbelove, there's no chance in hell I'll be caught dead in that thing." 

"You haven't even looked at it!" 

"I don't need to. I know it's dreadful." 

She sighs. "Alright, I tried. You'd better make up your mind soon, though." 

I open my mouth to argue, but someone knocks on the door. 

Mordelia pokes her head inside without waiting for an answer. "Snow is here. Are you ready?" 

I look back at Wellbelove's smug smile, defeated. 

"I'll be down in a minute." 

**Simon**

Okay, this is really happening. 

I wait at the entrance, checking my hair one last time and making sure my jumper isn't wrinkled. I'm really, _really_ hoping Baz won't be too mad when he sees me. 

And then I see him.

_"No fucking way!"_ I gasp out between huffs of laughter, taking in his—horrible, seasonally appropriate—jumper. 

Somehow, it’s even uglier than mine: dark green, starring a drunk-looking reindeer surrounded by 3D presents and small flickering lights, everything sticking out from the jumper just like mine. It’s like Father Christmas’s sleigh crashed straight into his chest. A gift from Agatha, no doubt. 

"What happened to your suit?!" 

"I could ask you the same thing, Snow," he says, horrified. 

"I, well—um…" I bite my lip. "There was an accident. With the iron." 

Baz rubs his face. "Fucking Crowley." 

"What happened to you, anyway?" 

"I was attacked by snow devils," he says. "There was an infestation, but we managed to trap most of them… hopefully." 

"Oh," I say. "Baz… why didn't you ask me for help?" 

"You were busy," he mumbles. 

I laugh a bit. "Not really. I was just…" I bite my lip again. All that running around, trying to find something special to give him, and he needed my help with something much more important. "I'm sorry. I was looking for a Christmas gift… for you." 

He frowns. "Simon, we exchanged gifts yesterday." 

"I know," I shrug. "But I wanted to give you something else. Yesterday was just for us. Today should be… I don't know. Special? Perfect." 

He snorts, reaching out to take my hand. "Everyday with you is special, you nightmare. Let's go." 

"Wait." I tug at his hand. "I, um… I haven't given up. I just… can you cast a spell for me?" 

Baz frowns questioningly, and I lean forward to whisper in his ear. 

His eyes widen, and I swear he blushes lightly. "Simon… I'm not sure I have enough magic to cast that spell." 

"Oh," I say. "...Alright." 

"But…" He takes his wand, "I can try." 

I hold my breath, expectantly. Maybe because this is true love magic—and _Merlin,_ do I love him—but I'm sure it'll work. I can almost feel it.

Baz casts **_My true love gave to me_** **.**

Nothing happens. 

"... What?" I ask. 

"I felt it work," Baz says, confused. 

"I mean—you need to complete the sentence," I say, thinking. "Like, what did I give you? What do you want me to give you?" 

"I don't know, Snow," he lifts an eyebrow. "I can't think of anything specific. I already have everything I could want." He smiles, knocking his forehead against mine. "You're here, you know. That's why." 

I smile back, feeling my chest warm. "But what about the spell?" 

He looks up, and I follow his gaze. Hanging over our heads there's… a mistletoe? 

"Huh. That wasn't there before, was it?" 

Baz huffs a laugh. "Well, maybe I do want a kiss." 

I smile, getting on my tiptoes to kiss him tenderly, lacing my arms around his neck. When we part, I can feel him smiling back, and my heart is racing. 

"You could've asked for a new suit, y'know," I whisper. "Maybe the spell would summon one for you." 

"Maybe," Baz shrugs, ducking his head to kiss my cheek. "But I quite like us like this. We match." 

I look down at our ugly jumpers, laughing. "We really do." 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading!!  
> If you liked this fic, please consider taking a look at the [Let it Snow](https://drive.google.com/file/d/12GXUH0kMS5MN4iFYbmjb6U8K9LYel8oF/view) Zine!! It's full of fluffy winter cheer in the form of amazing fics and art. And it's FREE!!  
> (Also, everything looks so good together. There was much effort and love put into this thing ❤️)
> 
> If anyone wants to know more about my writing and projects (or if you just want some wholesome memes) you can find me on Tumblr at [nightimedreamersworld](https://nightimedreamersworld.tumblr.com/)


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